Kitchen fire at fast food takeaway closed Milkstone Road

Two fire engines attended a kitchen fire at a fast food takeaway known as Al Falah at 41 Milkstone Road, Rochdale at around 9.00pm, Saturday 21 March, and were met by a large plume of smoke and flames coming from a ventilation duct out of the second floor roof.

Four breathing apparatus wearers with two hose reels, a nine metre ladder, a short extension ladder and a ventilation fan were utilised to control the fire in a cooker ventilation hood that subsequently spread to the floor joists and ceiling of the 2nd floor room by direct heat radiation from the ducting.

One man was in the ground floor kitchen at the time of the fire however he escaped unharmed.

Police temporarily closed Milkstone Road whilst crews remained in attendance.

Firefighters spent two hours cutting away timbers to ensure the fire was extinguished and fire spread was minimised.

The owner of the building, Mr. Umar Farooq thanked the prompt attendance of the Fire Service and the efficient way in which the fire was controlled.

Angus Robinson, Watch Commander, Blue Watch, Rochdale Fire Station, siad: "The cause of the fire was an accidental overheating of residual cooking fat in the cooker ventilation canopy."

It is hoped that the business will be back open within the next week.